OSU Basketball Crushes MD 91-69

OSU just crushed Maryland 91 - 69. Bates-Diop is on a roll. He will have to be stopped . . . maybe by Livers? Bates-Diop is a 6'7" forward, around 235 lbs. He scored 26 points tonight, 6 - 8 from the 3 pt line. He also had 27 vs. Iowa and 32 vs. Michigan State.

Really regret Michigan losing to the Buckeyes in a game we seemed to have in hand. Dakich also had 11 points tonight off the bench. The future is very bright for Michigan. But we will have trouble pulling even with OSU in the regular season, given their toughest remaining games are at Purdue and at Michigan. (They only play Purdue and MSU once each this year, and they obviously just beat MSU handily.)

I'm just pissed at Dakich. He went from sucky bench player to stud off the bench for OSU. I'll still take our point guards over him but he really turned it around. I still think we're the better team and we haven't even turned the corner yet IMO.

I got to hand it to hand it to them for landing what seems like a solid hire in Chris Holtmann. I am not sure what type of recruiter Holtmann will turn out to be, but from an "X-and-Os" and development standpoint, he's doing remarkably well. OSU's roster was decimated with transfers when Matta left, and he's turned what was left behind (+ Dakish) into a cohesive team that works.

Most college basketball teams are turning over 3-4 players a year. Going into an offseason with 7 scholarship players is low but not outrageous. You do realize Michigan had the same amount of scholarship players entering the offseason with only one scholarship PG as well, right?

I am going to wait a little longer before praising this hire. Matta didn't leave the cupboard entirely bare. Bates-Diop was out for the season last year. Take him off this year's team, and they probably look as bad as last year. OSU has a team with 3 seniors were highly recruited top-100 players. Not a deep team, but there are some talented upperclassmen players who have played a lot of basketball with Bates-Diop, JaeSean Tate, and Kam Williams.

Many of the guys who transferred were prospects that OSU missed on. Michigan has had a bunch of transfers recently too with Dawkins, Doyle, and Chatman. It is becoming commonplace in college basketball.

Both of their past coaches had Butler ties. Butler seems to have a great penchant for finding rising coaches that translate well on their next step. But, it remains to bee seen what Holtman can do over the long run. Matta started greatt and fell off at the end.

Thad said that the pain didn't really affect his coaching during practices, and coming up with gameplans, but it did make it really difficult to go out and recruit. Apparently some coaches were using Thad's condition to sway recruits away from Ohio State saying that he wasn't even willing to make the trip to come scout them personally.

That is incredible. And yet, I have to agree with Beilein that we had to move on and wanted every last kid in the recruiting class. To be honest, even though there was a scholarship available for Dakich this year, I just don't see how it would have been helpful to give him playing time. Zavier Simpson and Poole deserve the minutes, and it was worth the gamble on Simmons.

Solid chance that Michigan will have an opportunity to beat a Michigan transfer in the B1G Tournament for the 3rd straight year.

Let's be honest here. Spike was barely a contributor last year for Purdue and transferred to a team that was going to contend for a B1G title without him. Dakich would not play here and is the 7th or 8th man off the bench for OSU. Max Bielfeldt is the only player you could make a case was a loss for Michigan as a transfer.

is the most realistic goal based on our W/L and SOS. I think this team can beat most anyone come March.

As much as I would love a victory at Sparty or at Purdue, the next few games versus Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska are as critical for the tournamant berth. There may be only 4 B10 teams in the big dance.

Purdue, MSU, OSU seem like locks for the NCAAs. If UM cam beat the teams in the next tier then they should have the 4th bid, at least an 9-10 seed NCAA berth.

So, it seems that OSU beating Maryland was helpful to us, as we will be competing for a tournament spot with other mid-tier B1G teams, such as the Terps. We also should probably be rooting for the top three teams to continue beating everyone below them to make us the logical choice for the fourth bid, assuming we do enough the rest of the way. I am always willing to temporarily suspend my loathing for an opponent in circumstances where it helps us if they win.

when teams such as MSU, OSU, and Purdue beat teams like Nebraska, Maryland, and Minnesota and even Rutgers who could be possible bubble teams teams right now.

Maryland's injury looks like they are sliding fast (we really have to and should beat them) and MInnesota's lack of discipline on and off the court give us an advantage over the course of the season. Rutgers seniors are very good and could be a bid threat.

Purdue and OSU are very senior heavy, undefeated and probably aren't going into a dramatic tail spin. MSU also isn't going anywhere. Those three are a lock. So my premise is that with the B10 being relatively weak, we aren't going to get many tournament entires, and we are fighting the next tier for a bid.

The idea is to be good and playing in late March. RIght now we are working out too many issues ( Will Robinson finally be demoted to reserve? Will Wagner regain his shot and play smarter defense?) to realistically win the conference.

are playing good ball. They've been on a roll since second half of the Michigan game. Will see how the remaining game's play out for them. Crap. Michigan ballers so close to being undefeated. Take care of the Spartans boy's.